The United States is one of the most diverse countries in the world. However, it grapples with widespread social inequality and discrimination issues that occasionally threaten to tear it apart. The problem of social inequality in the country has continued to widen the gap between the rich and the poor over the years. The African American men and the LGBTQ community are examples of social groups that have suffered worse forms of discrimination in the US. Social inequality is evident in the huge difference in payments between company executives and ordinary workers. It is estimated that today’s chief executive officer of a production or a manufacturing company earns more than 185 times than the average worker (20 Facts About U.S. Inequality that Everyone Should Know, 2011). As a result, the average worker’s ability to afford quality health care, take their children to good schools, and live in decent housing is severely impaired.
Social inequality is a man-made problem that is not only demonstrated by unequal pay but also in the state of housing, education, health, infrastructure, and governance. While America boasts to be home to some of the most magnificent condos in the planet, more than a million of its population is homeless. Social inequality in the US is directly related to discrimination since most victims owe their status to institutional unfair treatment tendencies.
The African American men and boys are the most notorious victims of discrimination. They are more likely to be killed, incarcerated or abused than any social group in America. The 2020 murder of George Floyd by a white police officer is a true depiction of how African American blacks’ lives are disregarded by the American society. The LGBTQ community is also at the receiving end of discrimination in the States, both institutionally and individually (Discrimination in America, n.d). These facts prove that America still has a long way to go in addressing the thorny issues of social inequality and discrimination within its societies.
From a personal experience, I worked in an organization that paid members of the African American community a fraction of what their counterparts earned despite the fact that they performed similar tasks. From these experiences and the information contained in the articles, it is evident that the American society still has a long way to go when it comes to social inequality and discrimination.
References
20 Facts About U.S. Inequality that Everyone Should Know. (2011). Inequality.com. Web.
Discrimination in America. (n.d). Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Web.